A wide variety of remote controls are conventionally available for controlling a wide variety of devices including but not limited to media devices and players (e.g. Televisions, DVD players, VCRs, stereos, etc.), and media receivers (e.g. cable TV boxes, satellite TV receivers, etc.). Even if the user has one remote control for all devices, these conventional remote controls often have a multitude of buttons and/or superfluous controls that can cause confusion for users.
In addition, consumers are increasingly accessing Internet content to supplement more traditional media experiences. Common examples include using other devices including but not limited to laptop and desktop computers, cell phones, smart phones, etc. to obtain web pages while watching a television show.
Utilization of these various devices in order to obtain a variety of desired media is less than ideal, as users must repeatedly switch between devices and applications. Moreover, users are often forced to handle multiple remote control devices to utilize multiple media sources, e.g. to watch television and surf the Internet.
Accordingly, the inventors have recognized a need for an integrated system and remote control thereof that seamlessly combines the various capabilities of conventional devices, providing a truly integrated and easily controlled multimedia experience.